


Between the Lines

by leSerpentia



Series: Silver-tongued Devils - Varric x Silver [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Banter, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sex, Letters, Slow Burn, author/editor relationship, basically the story of how Varric and his editor fall in love, friends with benifits, mostly rated for language and implied smexy times, told entirely through letters and messages
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 11:50:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20025337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leSerpentia/pseuds/leSerpentia
Summary: A series of letters, messages and story extracts between Kirkwall's famous author and his long suffering editor.Their story is told, if you can read between the lines.ORBioware won't let me romance the dwarf so I'm gonna do it myself.This is a story told entirely in letters about how Varric and his editor, you, fall in love.





	1. 9:28 Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what this is.  
I own nothing.  
I'm sorry.

**9:28 Dragon**

To Ser Tethras,

As you have been informed, your previous editor has parted ways with Kirkwall Publishing, leaving the production of your popular serial, Hard in Hightown, on hiatus. I am writing to introduce myself as Serah Lawfield's replacement, and to inform you that we shall re-commence publishing your serial by the end of this month.

My name is Y/N Y/L/N, and I am very excited to begin working with you on developing your story. I have personally enjoyed reading your work, and believe we can work well together. Whilst I have looked over your previous edits with Lawfield, if you have any requests or person preferences for the editing process, please let me know and I shall attempt to adjust my process to suit you.

If I do not hear back from you within the next week, I shall begin edits on your most recent manuscript as per the in-house style manual.

Thank you again for choosing to work with Kirkwall Publishing.  
We are honoured to help share your stories.

Hope to hear from you soon,  
Regards  
Y/N Y/L/N  
Editor at Kirkwall Publishing

…...

Here is the information you requested on New editor. Had 3 men tail her. Notes are attached

(_a collection of papers, written in three different hands. One page had scratchy drawings of flying books and quills in the margins_.)

Y/N Y/L/N  
Employed at MP for approx 18 months.  
Human. Free-Marcher. Originally from starkhaven. Low-born. Educated.Young  
Resided above Hightown markets.  
Small apartment. Well kept. 6pin double key lock.  
Well-liked at MP. Professional. Friendly. Considered hardworking and talented. Has a rep for being good at dealing with difficult writers.  
Arrives late. Stays late. Takes her work home. Drinks 5-8 coffees a day.  
Strong ties to Coterie. More info incoming.

Coterie ties extend back years. Potential child recruit.  
Currently information broker for Kirkwall faction  
Respected, feared.  
Background in smuggling and forgery. Negotiated trade deals with Carta.

Left home later than should have , looked tired but was smiling. Carrying large stack of manuscripts.  
Was greeted with smiles and waves at office. Two men rose to help her carry her things. Another woman brought her coffee without being asked.  
Wears slim-framed glasses when working. Nibbled on the end of her quill.  
Many messengers stop by her desk. Cannot all be publishing related. Some notes are placed directly into her bag.  
Some belligerent author just showed up. Did not interrupt until author started insulting other staff members. Only took her two minutes to calm him down.  
Author just left. Not only agreed to changes, but seems to think the changes are his idea.  
Stayed back late to finish work. Took home three manuscripts.  
Dead dropped letter exchange under lower left paved outside blooming rose. Added to Coterie watch list.  
Seems to have a preference for sitting on her windowsill at home to work. Doesn't wear pants at home. Legs for days.

……

(_A letter, attached to a well-bound and heavily annotated copy of chapter 5 of Hard in Hightown_)

  
To Ser Tethras,

Since you are, unfortunately, too busy to respond to my last message, I kept to my word and have completed a standard but thorough edit of the latest chapter of Hard in Hightown.

I have used industry standard mark ups, and left my annotations in the margins for your perusal. I have also included a detailed list of suggestion changes that I feel will help streamline the story and reduce unnecessary clutter. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed your imagery, some of your metaphors boarded on purple prose and I felt best to remove to maintain the tension.

If you have any questions, or you would like to discuss my suggestions further, I would be happy to arrange a personal meet up at the location of your choice.

If all is well, please send your approved changes to the Kirkwall Publishing office byclose of business Friday.

Kind Regards,  
Y/N Y/L/N  
Editor at Kirkwall Publishing.

…….

(A_ note, hastily written and torn roughly from a notebook_)

Dear Serah Y/N

You can bet your sweet Starkhaven ass I want to discuss your suggestions. I don't know how you've conned your other authors into dancing your jig, but I'm not about to rework my entire story to suit your whims.

Since you we're so generous as to offer to meet at a location I choose, I'll see you at the Hanged Man this evening. Unless, you've grown accustomed to life up in Hightown?

Yours reluctantly,  
V. Tethras

……

Mr. Tethras,

Looking forward to meeting you.

Y/N

……

(_a note attached to the second draft of chapter 5 of Hard in Hightown_)

As requested, here is the edited manuscript; well before Friday you may notice. All agreed upon changes have been made, and grammar corrected. No need to get all antsy over commas again.

V. Tethras.

P.S. where did you learn to play Diamondback like that?  
….

Thank you for getting those edits back to me so promptly Tethras. I'm so glad you agree to cut those flashbacks in the middle, they dragged the whole pace to a crawl. The tension is just perfect now!

As for your enquiry about my gambling skills, I shall only state that I am a mystery and an enigma, one you cannot hope to solve. Bow before my beginners luck.

…….

Tone it down, you silver-tongued brat.

V.


	2. 9:30 Dragon

……

Ser Tethras,

I understand that you and your brother are knee deep in preparations for your Deep Roads expedition, but that does NOT excuse you from submitting your latest drafts on time. 

If the latest draft of Chapter Eleven is not on my desk by tomorrow morning, I will come down there and drag it from your ink-stained fingers myself.

Sincerely,

Y/N Y/L/N

Editor at Kirkwall Publishing.

……

Why Silver, formal sign-off and everything. You _are_ mad at me.

Would you forgive your favourite dwarf if I said I was assisting a young and devilishly handsome Fereldan refugee to turn his life around? And that, through working with this strapping lad, I am gathering a whole host of new ideas for later chapters, a perhaps… that second serial you’ve been asking for?

Your humble wordsmith,

V. Tethras

…….

Have the damn manuscript to me by next week.

You owe me V.

Silver

P.S. Stay out of trouble.

……

Dearest Silver,

Stay out of trouble? Why, I am an upstanding and law-abiding citizen of this fine city. I wouldn’t dream of creating trouble in our fair Kirkwall. 

Hawke on the other hand…

You’ll break us out of prison, right?

……

(_a letter attached to a manuscript, delivered within hours of close-of-business the following week_.) 

Chapter Eleven, as promised Silver.

And if my courier is as fast as she claims, with a good half-a-day to spare.

Now let me have a few solid nights of drinking before you bombard me with your inevitable critiques. After the week I’ve had. I deserve it.

Your favourite Dwarf,

V. Tethras

……

No rest for the wicked V.

…..

Slave driver.

……

You're the one sending (and likely paying) this young boy to run between my office and the Hanged Man to deliver scathing quips.

Are you so desperate to have the final word?

……

Well yes; but you keep responding, don't you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this better? Please let me know


	3. 9:30 Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> discussing romance...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> super short. soz

…….

So I noticed you seem a bit fixated on my latest romance scene. There have to be at least twice as many notes on those pages than the rest of the manuscript combined (what do you have against the humble ellipses? Did it kill your father, insult your mother’s honour? Cheat you in cards?). 

Something there must have really caught your attention.

……

If by caught my attention, you mean had me scoffing into my coffee, then yes -- there was plenty to work with. 

I don’t know who you’re paying at the Blooming Rose, but no one has ever lasted that long, or had a woman orgasming that many times, without the aid of some very potent potions. Anyone who claims otherwise is better at lying than you are.

Try to be a bit more realistic when penning your explicit material.

Your readers aren’t that stupid.

By the way, I have no qualms with the ellipses. But they are not sugar V, don’t sprinkle them about like the scene is an Orlesian sweet.

……

Obviously you’ve never slept with a dwarf...

What we lack in size, we make up for in … stamina. 

Surely you’ve heard the saying... “Just the right height to give a human girl a good time.”

… V

P.S… sweet enough for you Silver?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELP!


	4. 9:30 Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> party time

…...

_ Kirkwall Publishing; _ _  
_ _ in association with the Noble Literary Society of Kirkwall, _

_ extend their cordial invitation to _

** _ Ser Varric Tethras _ **

_ to our _

_ Annual Satinalia Award Ceremony _

To be held at the De Launcet Estate  
10th Harvestmere

Dinner will be served at 6 bells

Award Ceremony to begin at 8 bells.

Please contact Kirkwall Publishing to RSVP.

(_ scribbled in the bottom corner of the invitation) _

Yes you have to come!  
You won an award for _ Viper’s Nest_

\- Silver

……

My Dearest Silver,

I regret to inform you that I will be unable to attend this award shindig, as I will be busy doing literally anything else. As it if Satinalia and the entirety of Kirkwall will be pissed-up and cavorting around in masks, I’m sure no one will miss me.

Be a dear and collect my award for me. I want to send it to the Merchants Guild next time they try and involve Bartrand and me in their latest drivel. And when you finally grow tired of the snooty bastards up in Hightown, come join us at the Hanged Man. Hawke and I are having a little get together. 

Yours, without regrets

Varric Tethras

……

Dear V.

Fine, but you better get your clever merchant hands on a bottle of the honey mead I like.

Try not to pass out before I get there.

\- Silver

......

(_ a message, written on the back of a letter from the Merchants Guild and left on the bedside of one Varric Tethras _)

I stand corrected. Dwarven stamina is a thing of beauty.

You still owe me 3 sovereigns.

  
Silver

……

Where the all of Thedas did you get that dress! That neckline should be illegal.

You can’t possibly have found it in a store, even I wouldn’t believe that kind of coincidence. Did you show a tailor my author portrait? You must have! Which means you had that outfit planned well before I rejected your precious awards night invite. 

So you were planning to what, attend that ceremony with me dressed in a pin up version of my usual clothes? I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted. 

This is punishment for all those ellipses isn’t it?

Or were you just trying to catch my attention? I've been called a narcissist before, but never by intelligent company. 

Your exceedingly bemused author,

V. Tethras

……

You didn’t seem to mind the dress last night, when I stopped by to deliver your award. 

Or did it only cause offence once it landed on the floor of your room?

I didn’t think you noticed, you were very… distracted.

You’ll note my accurate and well placed use of an ellipses. 

Your exceedingly well-dressed editor,

Silver

By the way; your pretty elven friend, the one who’s always sneaking into the Hightown gardens. Is she seeing anyone?

……

Hands of Silver. Hawke’s been making doe-eyes at Daisy since he saw her.

Furthermore, asking about my friends the day after you sleep with me! I feel so used.

Your tragically offended friend,

V. Tethras

……

As usual, you force me to repeat myself V.

You didn’t mind being used last night.

Your surprisingly flexible friend,

Silver

……

No fair, now you’ve got me thinking about humans and their long, bendy limbs. 

You’d think all that leg of yours would get in the way.

Next time, remind me to hook them over my shoulders. I like the way it makes your back arch.

……

Tempting.

But you still need to send me the redraft of chapter eleven by next fortnight. 

\- Silver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *bangs head on desk* why am I like this?

**Author's Note:**

> Does this even make sense?


End file.
